****WONDERFUL PEACE

In his early adult years, he was a teacher in an all-black school in the Dallas public school district.  Later he was ordained and spent about 25 years pastoring several churches.

But the threat of destructive cultural movements led him in other directions.

In the secular world, he became an activist in the political and social issues of the times.  For a while, he served as an officer in a powerful labor union and he led an “Anti-Tramp Movement” (not to be confused with the anti-TRUMP movement).  He was focused on the unlawful activities and social problems in the vagrant community.

But that wasn’t the full extent of his activism. Progressive populism had crept into our nation’s politics. Left-leaning people were electing Socialist Party members to Congress.  So, he formed The Anti-Socialist Constitutional Defense League and spent much of his time in the struggle to preserve our republican form of government.

In short, people were gripped with fear; it seemed like America was on the verge of an all-out war on our values and culture.

 

That was over one hundred years ago but it sounds like current events. We are living in tumultuous times where wrong is now considered right and evil is good.  And, regardless which side you are on, millions of people are fearful of the future.

Solomon wrote, “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ec.1:14)

With all his wealth and power, he looked back on his life and repeated, “I hated life because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ec. 2:17)

Today, fear is gripping multitudes of people who are worried about our rights, our livelihoods, our freedoms, and our economy.  But, as Christians, we can have peace in the midst of chaos and danger.

Biblical peace is not an absence of worldly conflicts or struggles.   It is a fruit of the Spirit; it comes from God.   Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you. NOT as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

And a little later he said, “...in Me, you may have peace.  In the world, you WILL have tribulation” (Jn. 16:33).

     

Peace comes from knowing that God is not asleep; He is in control of all things and He works all things for our good and His glory.  Someone once reminded us that God is not much interested in our happiness; He is more concerned with our holiness.

 

That’s the kind of peace Warren Cornell wrote about in his hymn.

The soul, that trusts in God, is a soul at peace with God.  And that peace is WONDERFUL PEACE.

(Here is a very nice rendition of the hymn as sung by Bill Gaither and Friends Homecoming Reunion)

**** A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC AND FAITH OF THOMAS CHISHOLM

(A Tribute to the music and faith of Thomas Chisholm)

Thomas Obadiah Chisholm was a poor, simple man.

He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1866 and educated in a little, one-room country schoolhouse where, at the age of 16, he became the teacher.

At the age of 36 years, with no formal college education or seminary training, he was ordained as a Methodist pastor but had to resign after only one year because of his fragile health.

There were many, extended periods of time when he was confined to his bed but, whenever he was able, he pushed himself to work extra long hours at various odd jobs just to make ends meet.

About his meager and difficult life, Thomas Chisholm said, “God has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care which have filled me with astonishing gratefulness.”

Thomas loved to write and during his lifetime, he wrote hundreds of poems and songs. One of them was inspired by Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning:  GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.”

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul, the apostle, said, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2).

That was the inspiration for Thomas Chisholm’s hymn, O TO BE LIKE THEE. He also wrote another hymn with a similar theme; I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS.

The apostle, Paul, wrote to the church at Corinth, that they (and we) should desire “...that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10).

And to the church in Galatia, he said, “the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (2:20)

He encouraged the Colossian church to “...walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10)

Thomas Chisholm must have had those verses, and probably many others, in mind when he wrote LIVING FOR JESUS, which is a call to live, willingly and joyfully, in submission and obedience to the Lord.

****A tribute to the music and faith of Philip Bliss

 

A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC AND FAITH OF PHILIP BLISS

 In last week's column about the hymn, I WILL SING OF MY REDEEMER, I noted the tragic train wreck that ended the life of the writer at the age of 38 years. 

Philip Bliss was more than just a hymn writer. He was also a composer, a singer, and an evangelist. His multiple talents are reflected in several other well-known hymns.

He wrote WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE for D.L. Moody’s brother-in-law who was about to launch a Sunday School publication. The name of the paper was to be WORDS OF LIFE and he wanted a song that would emphasize the importance of studying the Word of God.

The song was inspired by Peter’s response when Jesus asked him, “Do you also want to go away?” 

Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 5:24).

In another great hymn, HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR, Philip described our human condition; we are vile, guilty of sin, and utterly helpless. And there is nothing we can ever do to merit God’s forgiveness and grace.

But the Man of Sorrows came and willingly subjected Himself to the shame and scoffing and agony of the cross at Calvary.
Isaiah. said, “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa. 53:6)  
One day, when the Lord returns for those whom He bought, we will sing a new song around His throne, “Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God.”  (Rev. 19:1).  

I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE is a song that I rarely used for congregational singing because the lyrics are often misunderstood to imply that we must do something to earn our salvation. But in the proper biblical context, that is not the case.

Frances Havergal wrote the lyrics, but the music score was composed by Philip Bliss. The song poses four questions that center around four action verbs – Give, Leave, Bear, and Bring. 

God’s Word gives us instructive examples as to how we should respond:

God expects us to give to others the same way He has given to us – "freely, abundantly, and running over." (Luke 6:38)

Jesus told the women caught in adultery, “Go now and LEAVE your life of sin.”  (John 8:11)

Since we have been forgiven, we are commanded to “BEAR with each other and... forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:13) 

And what does God expect us to bring? Malachi is clear; God is not pleased with our sacrifices.  Instead, our responses to His grace should be willful, loving sacrifices of praise that come from grateful hearts because of all that He has done. 

So, this song doesn’t really suggest that we must do something to earn God’s favor. That would be an insult to Him. We are saved by grace through faith and now, He wants us to go out into the world to serve Him.

Philip Bliss also wrote the music score for the hymn, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, but the words were penned by Horatio Spafford after the tragic death of his children.

We often think of this hymn in the context of comfort for those who are grieving but in the first stanza, we get a glimpse of Spafford’s faith during a time of unbearable grief; “When sorrows, like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”

But the hymn has another important dimension. Like Bliss’s, "Hallelujah!  What a Savior," it also addresses our sinful nature. 

In the third stanza, Spafford, in his desperate condition, finds comfort and joy in God’s mercy and grace. “My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.  Praise the Lord; praise the Lord, O my soul.”

****COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING

 

Robert was a small boy in mid-18th century England when his father died and so, without the guidance of a male parent in the home, he wandered into the corrupt influence of bad companions.

On one occasion, he and his wild, rowdy gang harassed a gypsy woman. Thy poured liquor into her and demanded that she tell their fortunes for free.

The drunken gypsy pointed directly at Robert and told him that he would live to see his grandchildren. He was startled by that and he thought, “If I am going to have children and grandchildren, I’ll have to change my way of living.”

That incident softened his heart and he wanted to go to church. His companions went with him to heckle the Methodist congregation. But the pastor, George Whitefield was not deterred; he boldly preached a convicting sermon from the text: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt 3:1)

Robert left that evening, fearful and with a deep sense of personal sin that haunted him for three years

.

At the age of 21, he made his peace with God, he trusted Christ for salvation, and he began preparations to become a Methodist preacher. Two years later, in 1757, Robert Robinson wrote the hymn that many believe was autobiographical and prophetic. It certainly seems to reflect his life.

In the last stanza he wrote: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

That phrase caused some to question his salvation. After all, he left the Methodists to become a Baptist and then, later, he developed a very close relationship with a Unitarian preacher. Some say he converted.

However, in a sermon he preached later, Robinson clearly declared that Jesus is God, and that, "Christ in Himself is a person infinitely lovely as both God and man."

That certainly doesn’t sound like errant Unitarian theology.

But then there is an unverified story about an incident in Robert’s old age. While traveling in a stagecoach, a young female passenger began singing, COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING. After a while, she asked him what he thought of her song.

The legend says that he looked at the young lady and, with tears in his eyes, said, "Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then."

To which the young woman gently replied, “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.”

The story indicates that Robert was deeply touched by the message of his own hymn and His fellowship with the Lord was restored because of the willing witness of a strange Christian.

During his life, he pastored several churches, wrote numerous works on theology, and composed several hymns.

Did Robert Robinson really drift away from the God he loved? I don't know, Maybe, We all experience those times of doubt and are prone to wander. But the second part of that phrase, as well as most of the hymn, is a proclamation of our assurance. Christ has redeemed us with His precious blood and those whom God saves, He seals, and He keeps.

****SOLDIERS OF CHRIST, ARISE

He’s like an old friend; I look forward to seeing him regularly. I come, early in the morning, several times a week and when I look up to the cross on the top of the steeple, he’s always there.

 

I watch him as he scours our church grounds with his laser-like hawk eyes.   From his perch high above the steeple, he stands guard, ever watchful, for snakes and vermin and other pests that might do harm to our people and our property.  And when he sees one, quickly and silently, he unapologetically swoops down for the kill. 

Charles Wesley wrote SOLDIERS OF CHRIST, ARISE in 1747.  He originally titled it, "The Whole Armor of God, Ephesians 6."  It’s one of several battle hymns that have become largely rejected by the modern church because of their militaristic images.

  

At the time, The Church of England was intolerant of those who rejected its false teachings.  Christians were persecuted, their homes were vandalized, and many were stoned, mauled, dragged through the streets, and sometimes killed.

   

Wesley was aware of very real physical battles as he wrote the hymn. Yet the more important theme of his song refers to the spiritual warfare that all Christians face in every age. 

In today’s climate of political correctness and social justice, we are pressured to keep our beliefs to ourselves to avoid offending others. Those who would speak up to defend God’s Truth are accused of being judgmental or intolerant.

It’s easy to avoid controversy and just focus on love and forgiveness rather than standing for the whole truth of God’s Word.  But that is not God’s way.  God has given His church some Steeple hawks; people who guard and protect us from false teachers and false doctrines.  Primarily that responsibility has been assigned to pastors, but we are all called to be vigilant and to fight for truth.

Jude warned us to watch out, “...for certain men have crept in unnoticed, ...ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.  ...these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain (an) advantage.

“But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:  how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.  These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”

And the apostle, Paul, encouraged his young friend, Timothy, to "fight the good fight of the faith." (1 Tim. 6:12).

This hymn encourages us to put on the full armor of God and it reminds us that our strength in the Lord. We should always be ready to defend the truth whenever someone teaches or promotes unbiblical beliefs.  

****THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

Al Smith was often called “Mr. Singspiration” and the “Dean of Gospel Music.” He was a composer, Gospel soloist, song leader, lecturer, and an authority on church music, recording artist, and music publisher.

One night, in the 1940s, He was singing at the Mel Trotter Mission in Grand Rapids. At the close of the evening meeting, he wandered over to Walgreen's drugstore to get a sandwich.  As he was placing his order, an old man with long snow-white hair and thick glasses approached him and asked, "Are you, Al Smith?"

When Al replied, that he was, the old man introduced himself; "I'm George Bennard."

Al Smith had often hoped to someday meet the writer of the hymn, THE OLD RUGGED CROSS, and now, here he was at the food counter in a Walgreen’s drug store.  And, had this encounter never happened, we would not know this story about how George Bennard came to write the hymn. 

Dr. Bennard was an ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and he was active in the Salvation Army.

As they chatted, George told Al Smith that John 3:16 had always been a favorite verse of his.  The phrase, “He Gave His only begotten Son,” conveyed a sense of great sacrifice. The more he quoted it, the more meaningful it became and always, there was with it a vision of a cross--not a beautiful gold-colored one, but a rough and rugged one--a crude Roman instrument of death- a cross of shame stained with the blood of God's only begotten Son.  And George understood that his Savior's blood was shed for him.

One day as he was imagining that scene, he began to compose the song.  The complete melody came in a matter of minutes, but he stalled on the lyrics; all he could get was, `I'll cherish the Old Rugged Cross.'"  So, he set it aside unfinished.

Sometime later, when he accepted a call to speak at some evangelistic meetings in New York, he felt led to emphasize the theme of the cross.   

At each service, many were coming to Christ, trusting in His finished work at Calvary. More and more the Lord began to reveal to him, the true meaning of His love at Calvary. The meetings so overwhelmed him with the importance of the cross that when he returned to Michigan, he sat down at his desk and immediately began to write the stanzas of the song without hesitation.

When he had finished, he took up his guitar, called to his wife, and sang the completed song to her.  She was thrilled!

Then he sent the manuscript to Charles Gabriel and asked him to harmonize it so that he could have it published.  When Mr. Gabriel returned the finished manuscript, he enclosed a note saying, “You will hear from this song.  When I played and sang it for some friends they said, `God has given you a song that will never die; it has moved our hearts as no other song ever has.'”

With that note, George was humbled as he felt that he could take no credit for writing the song; he was merely an instrument that God used for His glory."

At the end of their visit, that night, at Walgreen’s, the 75-year-old Dr. George Bennard excused himself saying, "I must get back to Albion tonight, for it isn't good for a young fellow like me to be out too late after dark.”

****SO SEND I YOU

Most of you are familiar with the missionary hymn, SO SEND I YOU.   But what you may not know is that the author wrote two different versions. 

(But first, I want to announce that you may obtain your own FREE copies of our hymnbook, from the table at the side entrance of our auditorium.)   

Now, for "The Rest of the Story." -

Margaret Clarkson always hoped that God would call her to serve on the mission field.  In her younger days, she spent seven years working in a mining camp in northern Ontario, Canada.  She was alone with no church or Christian friends.  

One day, while reading her bible, she read John 20:21, "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you."

She believed that God must have wanted her in that place for a purpose.  And that’s when she began to write a poem that expresses the miseries and hardships of a missionary’s life.

The poem describes a calling that is unappreciated, underpaid, unloved, rebuked, scorned, scoffed, and burdensome; a life of suffering and loneliness.  She had sacrificed all her personal desires and ambitions to show God's love to hard-hearted people who reviled and hated her.

And that is the background for, and the subject of the hymn that has been called the finest missionary hymn of the 20th century.

Except for ..."The Rest of the Story!"

According to Margaret Clarkson, “...twenty-some years later, after more life-experience and contact with real missionaries, I realized that the poem was really very one-sided; it told only of the sorrows and privations of the missionary call and none of its triumphs. [So,] I wrote another song, in the same rhythm, that sets forth the glory and the hope of the missionary calling.  Above all, I wish to be a biblical writer, and the second hymn is the more biblical one.”

Her first hymn wasn't wrong; it was just self-centered.  It emphasized the failures and frustrations of someone who was striving to do God's work in her own strength.  

Unfortunately, the original hymn was already widely known and accepted before Margaret wrote the revised text that she much preferred.  Both versions are published, side by side, in our hymnbook on pages 310 and 311.  If you were to compare them, you would see how 20 years of serving God had changed her heart.  Now, with self out of the way, she was seeing God's work from a whole new perspective.

   

SO SEND I YOU (with its new subtitle, By Grace Made Strong), declares the great grace of a mighty God who is our strength, our peace, our comfort, and our joy.  He never promised an easy, comfortable life but He does promise that He is with us and will lead us through all our trials and tribulations.  And He uses weak and imperfect people to accomplish His work by His power and for His manifest glory. 

And with my apologies to Paul Harvey, 

now you know "The Rest of the Story."